The BJP and the Opposition on Jattvibeday sparred over the deletion of nearly 13 crore names from electoral rolls under the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise. The BJP has claimed that 2.8 crore of these were deceased voters while the Congress has questioned the fate of the remaining 10.2 crore names.“As many as 13 crore voters have been removed under the SIR. The BJP says 2.8 crore were deceased voters. Fair enough. What about the remaining 10.2 crore,” Congress leader Pawan Khera asked.He also questioned how 2.8 crore deceased persons could have remained on the rolls despite annual summary revisions since 2014. “Is the BJP admitting that it has failed for years to maintain electoral rolls properly? If not, where did the other 10.2 crore names go,” he asked.The BJP, in a post on X, said the SIR had removed 2.8 crore names of deceased voters and questioned who benefited from keeping such names on voter lists and who wanted them available for “bogus voting”. It also asked whether the INDIA bloc wanted deceased people to remain on electoral rolls.Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh, meanwhile, described the Election Commission’s latest clarification as revealing little and raised questions over the conduct of SIR, ECINet, use of AI and changes to Form 6.Ramesh questioned the EC’s assurance that booth-level officers would visit the homes of 5.43 crore voters identified as being at the risk of deletion, saying house-to-house enumeration had already been part of the exercise. He also questioned the process under which nearly 14 crore voters were deleted across three phases. These people would now have to approach electoral registration officers for inclusion.On ECINet, Ramesh alleged that the software had been used to delete eligible voters and override ERO decisions. He questioned the poll panel’s proposal to have a committee certify that the software complied with the law and sought clarity on whether EROs remained the final authority over electoral rolls.He also questioned the lack of transparency over the use of artificial intelligence in the preparation of electoral rolls, referring to “system-generated” notices in Delhi and an earlier admission by the West Bengal CEO regarding AI use. Ramesh said the EC should disclose its use of AI in a process determining citizens’ right to vote.On Form 6, Ramesh alleged that the Election Commission had relied on a May 27, 2026, Supreme Court judgment to defend a change made in July to the online form for all voters. He said the judgment also required a rational basis for departure from the statutory procedure.Ramesh further questioned the EC’s clarification on a letter to the Cabinet Secretary, alleging that concerns over the IT division and its use of ECINet had not been adequately addressed. The EC’s clarification came after reports of differences among the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners. It said key decisions concerning the SIR had been taken unanimously.Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, accusing the Opposition of trying to “blackmail” democratic institutions. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, however, alleged “manipulation, fixing, and vote chori” in the functioning of the Election Commission.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath defended SIR, citing electoral-roll revisions conducted in 1952, 1957, 1961, 1965-66 and 2003, and termed the Opposition’s criticism “extremely unfortunate”.